Wednesday, May 17, 2017

The Taj Mahal! Overwhelmingly beautiful! Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built this as a memorial for his wife, Mumtaz in 1653.

At last it happened on 18th March, '17! I had been dreaming of visiting the Taj Mahal for so many years now and it was like a dream come true! I was just standing on the platform and gaping, really gaping at it for many minutes! I was expecting it to be an old/ancient monument now, hearing so many stories about it becoming dull because of pollution etc. Though the monument is given mud pack etc. for cleaning it, part by part, it looked good for me even now. Work is still going on, you can notice from the minaret being covered with scaffolding. Detailed story with more photographs will come later, in another post!

A close up shot of the Taj! People look so tiny beside the structure!

We visited this place twice that day, once in the morning and again in the evening. Visited the Baby Taj in the afternoon. The entrance to the Baby Taj was beautiful and seeing the main building, I was stunned by its beauty. I felt it was the most beautiful building I have ever seen! Lot of intricate art work could be seen on the walls ...Hmmm...I had taken many many pictures of the beautiful designs in my Mi5 mobile, but it was stolen that evening at the Taj Mahotsav festival there near the Taj:( The camera was very good in that mobile...

'Mausoleum of Itmad-ud-Daulah' Agra....the most beautiful building! Every inch is with beautiful designs carved and studded with coloured gemstones. This was built by another Mughal Emperor Jahangir's wife, Nur Jahan for her father around 1628.

A close-up shot of the tomb! This is called the 'Jewel Box', 'Baby Taj' and also as the 'Taj of Deccan'!

This is also described as a draft of the Taj Mahal. The walls are made up from white marble brought from Rajasthan encrusted with semi-precious stone decorations like cornelian, jasper, lapis lazuli, onyx and topaz formed into images of cypress trees and wine bottles or more elaborate decorations like cut fruit or vases containing bouquets. Light penetrates to the interior through delicate jaali screens of intricately carved white marble. The interior decoration is considered by many to have inspired that of the Taj Mahal, which was built by her stepson, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. More details are available here!

Every inch is colourfully decorated!

Bibi ka Maqbara (Tomb of the Lady), Aurangabad, built for Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb's wife by her son Azam Shah around 1661. The majestic building was built without much stone/gem work but looks simple and elegant. Our guide said that this was built by Aurangzeb who was against spending his subjects' money unnecessarily!

The above structure resembles the Taj but in a simple way. The architect of the tomb, Atah Ullah was the son of Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, the principal designer of the Taj Mahal. More interesting details can be read here!

My son took this panoramic shot....the place looks so beautiful!

I tried to club all the three mausoleums in this post! More pictures and details of the Taj will be written in the next post!

12 comments
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It is not for nothig that it is regarded as one of the seven wonders of the world attracting viewers from near and afar for hundreds of years.I have also visited and saw it for hours but not by observing as well as you did.

What stands out in your post is your keen observation, a hunger for details of the structure with its matchless beauty and intricate art work and also a penchat to know about its history.The short post does adequate justice to the renowned monument.Your description has kindled a desire to see it again in the way you did. ThanksIt is a pity that you lost your mobile with the photos you took of the Taj and other buildings

K PARTHASARATHY: Thank you very much for the first comment, KP! I enjoyed just standing there in the hot sun and gazing at it! My son was laughing....I was not moving away from it for sometime!Few more interesting photographs are coming in the next post!

Thanks for the compliment, KP. As my husband says, 'everything is 'aashcharya'/aachchariyam for me! All the time! And this....!

Many more photos of the intricate designs here and at the Baby Taj were lost with the mobile.

DESTINATION INFINITY: They have to work carefully, without destroying the old work of the minarets. The other minarets where the work is over, loot great. Some mud pasting work is still going on at the back.

The Baby Taj is really beautiful! Make it a point to see that next time.

SG: Yes, it is!Yes, this is the first time I am visiting this place. They say so. The guide said 'No'!

Absolutely lovely capture on the Taj Mahal and the Baby Taj! Love the details and perspective of Jewel Box... I’m quite unaware about this monument until reading your post. Bibi ka Maqbara looks like a narrow version of taj mahal.

JEEVAN: Taj and then Baby Taj both amazed me equally! Many people are not particular about visiting the Baby Taj. The entrance itself is beautiful! Yes, it was like dream come true for me! Thank you, Jeevan!